Electric-fan tractor.



WITNESSES G QM M. P. SARFATY.

ELECTRIC FAN TRACTOR. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1913.

Patented June 30, 19M

2 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

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M. P. SARPATY. ELEGTRIG FAN TRACTOR. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1913.

1 1 02 081 Patented June 30, 191% 2 SHEETS-$HEBT 2.

J .4- I WITNESSES INVENTOI? G jyorz ozz Jarlal COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH CO.,WA5HINGTON. D. C.

MORTON P. SARFATY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-FAN TRACTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1914.

Application filed. September 29, 1913. Serial No. 792,502.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MORTON P. SARFATY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Electric-Fan Tractor, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to convey a fan of the character mentioned, so as to move the air in an apartment in layers or stratas, by imparting parallel impulses thereto; to provide an automatic mechanism for moving a fan of the character mentioned to operate in an ascertained plane and in a constant direction; to provide antomatic means for reversing the direction of travel of said fan at the terminals of its operating zone; to provide a tractor for supporting and moving said fan in the manner mentioned; and to provide a simple, economical and etficient construction for said tractor.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of a tractor constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention, the section being taken as on the line 11 in Fig. 3; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken as on the line 22 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken as on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1; Fig. 1 is a vertical longi udinal section taken as on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

As seen in the accompanying drawings, a rotary fan 9 is mounted on the rotor shaft of an electric motor 10, within a protected cage 11 provided therefor. The fan, motor, and cage are of conventional arrangement and construction, except that the rotor shaft 12 thereof is elongated and rearwardly projected to support a worm 13, which is rigidly secured upon, or integrally formed upon said shaft. The outer end of the shaft is reduced to form a pintle 14:, which is seated in bearings in the frame 15 of the tractor which carries said fan and motor.

The frame 15 is supported in service upon a wall track plate 16. The plate 16 is secured in service by suitable fastening devices, such as screws. The upper edge of the plate 16 is bent to form an outwardlyinclined flange 18, the outer edge of which is upturned to form a track edge 19, against which guide wheels 20 bear. Adjacent the lower edge of the plate 16 is provided a track for a guide wheel 21. Intermediate the upper and lower edges of the plate 16, an angle-bar 22 is secured by fasteners 23, the horizontal extension of which bar forms a supporting track bench 2 1. The plate 16 and bar 22 connected therewith are installed in an apartment as a permanent fixture. Thetractor and fan connected therewith may be readily and easily removed from said plate.

Permanently attached to the plate 16 is a conduit 25, preferably constructed of hard rubber, though fiber or other suitable mate rial may be substituted therefor. The conduit 25 is shaped to form a channel, wherein are mounted electric conductors 26. The conductors 26 are formed of copper strips, andare suitably connected to terminals of a suitable electric circuit. The conduit 25 is provided with a protective apron 27 shaped in cross section as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, to avoid a direct entrance to the interior of said conduit. By this construction, there is avoided any danger of accidental short-circuiting of the current in the conductors 26.

The weight of the tractor, motor and fan, and parts connected therewith primarily rests on driving wheels 28. The wheels 28 are each mounted on one of the shafts 29. The shafts 29 are mounted in bearings formed in sliding blocks 30. The driving wheels 28 and friction wheels 31 are nonrotatively mounted on the shafts 29. The shafts 29 are rotatively mounted in bearings formed in adjustable brackets 32. The brackets 32 are held fixedly on a connecting shaft 33 by set screws 34. The brackets 32 and shaft 33 constitute a shifting couple, by which the wheels 28 are successively moved to frictionally engage a large worm gear wheel 35, to secure which engagement the wheels 28 are provided with a rubber or friction tire 36. The wheels 28 are similarly provided, for a similar purpose, with a frictional tire 37 as best seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The wheels 20 are equipped with a cushion tire 3S, and the wheel 21 with a similar tire'39', to deaden the sound of the tractor when moving lengthwise of the track plate 16.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that when the motor 10 is energized and the fan and rotor shaft 12 of said motor are driven,

the worm 13 transmits a relatively diminished rate of rotation to the worm gear wheel 85. The paths of the wheels 31 on the wheel 35 are relatively greater than the circumference of said wheels 31. "Tlierefore, the rate of rotation of the shaft 29 and wheels 28 is again reduced in transmis sion, with the result that the relative rate of travel of the tractor on the bench 2 1 is slow and steady.

To shift the couple or the wheels 31, there is provided a rocking lever -10, which is pivoted. by means of a pin 11 in a bracket 12. The lever 4:0 is held in shifted position to exert a pressure by one of the wheels 31 on the wheel by means of a spring 43, the ends of which areanchored to a pin ,44 on the lever 12 above the pin 41., and to the cyeloted end of a set screw adjustably mounted in the frame 15. The lever 40 is bifurcated at its lower end, to engage a T- head 46 of a collar 47. The collar 17 is held fixedly in adjusted position on the shaft 33 by a set screw 48. It will be understood that the pressure of the different wheels 31 upon the wheel may be relatively varied by shifting the collar 17.

The lever 40 is pivotally connected by a hinge pin 49, with a weighted arm 50. The arm 50 is loosely held on the lever 10 to rest successively upon the square surface of the flared head 51 of said lever 40. To rest on said squared surface, the end of the arm 50 is cut away and trued to form. shoulders 13y inclining the shoulders 52, as best seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the arm 50 is held in angular relation to the lever 40 and gener ally in a position which may be termed an advance of the angle to said lever when 'in service position. The purpose primarily of this construct-ion is to permit the weight to augment the pressure imparted by the spring -13 on the wheel 31 which is at any time engaged with the wheel A' secondary object is to permit each of the springs 5 1-. to press each of the gates 55 uponthe weight 53, to exert a" downward pressure upon the arm 50, to rock the lever 40 when the'tractor is at what may be termed the reversing position of its travel.

There are'two gates 55, one disposed at each end'of the travel of the tractor. Each gate is held in substantially verticalposition by the springs 5 1. The are pivoted by means of "hinge pins 56 to brackets 57. The bracketsuare secured by fasteners 58 to the stancling'structure on which the track plate 16 is mounted, and in properly spaced relation thereto above the same. Said gates are free to'move away from the springs 54 to clear the weighted end of the arm 50.

As seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the tractor is moving in the direction indicated by the arrow a. In this position, the arm 50 and weight 53 thereof are shown at the moment of engaging the gate 55. The continuing travel of the tractor operates to swing the arm 50 and weight. 53 carried thereby on the pin 49, first to a vertical position. hen the center of gravity of the i The lever 40 is drawn to and locked against 1 vibration by tliespring 1-3,'which, in correspondence to the swing of thelever 10, passes to the opposite sideofthe center of the pin .41 in a manner well understood.

It will now'be observed that if the tractor is carriedbeyond the desired limit of its travel, the gate '55,'wh1le yielding to the weight "53, is pressed infincreased degree downward by the spring 5st, and that.

through the :arm 50 and lever t0, the shaftandwheels 31"arem0ved to press with 1 intervals thereon.

increased fii'n'mess one of said wheels against the side of. the wheel 35. 'The engagement referredto'operat'es to reverse the rota'rydi- I'GCti n 0f the wheels 28, and to conseqiiently reverse the direction of travel ofthe tractor. i It will'be understood that the'lei'igth of the track plate-'16"andtrack bQnch'Q-Ktmay be varied, and that the brackets'59 and gates 55attached tlieretoFmay be placed atany To take the electric current from the (3011- ductors 26, circuit wires 58 and 59 are car- .ried" from the motor through i-nsulatii'ig bushings 60 in the frame .15, and through a goose-necked boot (31 constructed. of insulating material, to yielding contacts 62 and 63,

respectively. Said contacts are provided witlr ilungers slidingly mounted in afcy-y lindrical collar 64-, within which they are held apart' 'by a suitable spring. Said 1 spring operates to press said contacts against their respective conductors 26. 'The wires .58 and'59 are connected with thecontacts 62 and 63, respectively and in any suitable A controlling switch of convenjtionalrform is'einployed to control the electric circuit for energizing the motor 10;,

'For convenience of assemblage, and to simplify theconstructm'n, the frame 15 is provided with a cap 65, which; is secured to saidframe'b} ineans of bolts 66, as best seen in Fig. '1 of the drawings. The cap and frame are each'provided witlrpressed sections 67 'and 68, respectively, extending inward from the'side of the frame and reap toward the wheel 35, to shorten the length of the shaft 69 thereof. The ends of the shaft 69 are reduced to fit hearings 'in blocks70.

From the foregoing, it will, be seen" that when desired, the tractor, motorfand fan connected therewith may be lifted from the plate 16, care being first exercised to remove the apron 27 of the conduit so that the end of the boot- 61 is free for withdrawal from the conduit 25. All that is necessary in thus lifting the tractor from the plate 16 and bench 2st, is to cant said tractor so that the wheels 20 and 28 clear the outer edge of the flange 18. Reverse action is all that is required when installing the tractor.

Then in operation, the tractor and fan carried thereby move. between the gates 55 disposed at the opposite ends of the path of travel, and by each gate, the arm and weight 53 carried thereby are thrown to reverse the transmission from the wheel 35 to the wheels 28, thereby reversing the direction of travel of the tractor. Thus, the tractor is operated to move back and forth over a relatively large area in a given plane and in a constant direct-ion. The net result of the action of the fan is to establish a current of air in the apartment where it is installed, in a given and uniform direction, as contra-distinguished from the operation of the rotary fan, which agitates the air by radiating it from a given center. The strength of the current of air established by the fan mounted upon the tractor herein described is directly proportioned to the length of travel of said tract-or.

It will be understood that more than one tractor and fan may be operated on the same track plate, the gates 55 being suitably disposed to prevent interference of the tractors, and overlapping of the areas of operation of said fans.

Claims.

1. A tractor as characterized, comprising a supporting frame; carrying wheels mounted in said frame; a transmission mechanism embodying a power-driven shaft, a continuous rotary driving wheel operatively connected with said shaft, and friction wheels oppositely-disposed relative said driving wheel and operatively connected with said carrying wheels; a shifting mechanism mounted in said frame to extend beyond the same; a plurality of interference members adjustably disposed to operatively engage said shifting mechanism to successively dispose said friction wheels to operatively engage said driving wheel; and springs yieldingly supporting said interference members to exert therethrough an engaging pressure on said shifting mechanism.

2. A tractor as characterized, comprising a supporting frame; carrying wheels therefor; friction wheels; a plurality of shafts operatively connecting said friction and carrying wheels in paired relation; a shifting frame having bearings for said shafts; a driving mechanism for said carrying wheels, embodying a motordriven shaft and a driving wheel operatively connected with said shaft to be rotated thereby continuously, said driving wheel being disposed between, and normally disengaged from, said friction wheels; a lever operatively connected with said shifting frame, pivotally mounted in, to extend beyond said frame; means carried by said lever to hold the same in operative position; and interference members disposed in the path of said tractor and said lever to throw said lever successively to opposite sides of a vertical plane coincident with the pivot of said lever.

8. A tractor as characterized, comprising a supporting frame; carrying wheels therefor, friction wheels; a plurality of shafts operatively connecting said friction and carrying wheels in paired relation; a shifting frame having bearings for said shafts; a driving mechanism for said carrying wheels, embodying a motor-driven shaft and a driving wheel operatively connected with said shaft to be rotated thereby continuously, said driving wheel being disposed between, and normally disengaged from, said friction wheels; a lever operatively connected with said shifting frame, pivotally mounted in, to extend beyond said frame; means carried by said lever to hold the same in operative position; interference members disposed in the path of said tractor and said lever to throw said lever successively to opposite sides of a vertical plane coincident with the pivot of said lever; and a locking spring to hold said lever in adjusted position.

4. A tractor as characterized, comprising a supporting frame; carrying wheels therefor; friction wheels; a plurality of shafts operatively connecting said friction and carrying wheels in paired relation; a shifting frame having bearings for said shafts; a driving mechanism for said'carrying wheels, embodying a motor-driven shaft and a driving wheel operatively connected with said shaft to be rotated thereby continuously, said driving wheel being disposed between, and normally disengaged from, said friction wheels; a iever operatively connected with said shifting frame, pivotally mounted in, to extend beyond said frame; a weight carried by said lever to hold the same in operative position; interference members disposed in the path of said tractor and said lever to throw said lever successively to opposite sides of a vertical plane coincident with the pivot of said leve"; and a spiral spring operatively connecting said shifting frame and lever at opposite sides of the pivot of said lever, to exert a pull on said lever in both operative positions, to supplement the pressure of said weight.

5. A track plate having a tractor as characterized, comprising a guide flange extending from the upper edge of said plate; a channel conduit mounted in said plate in substantially parallel relation to said guide flange; a cover for said conduit to close the front thereof and form a tortuous entrance conduit, said boot being a conveyer of clec' thereto; a plurahty of metallic electric contrlc supply W1res for said motor.

ductors mounted in 'said condni't in spaced In testimony whereof I have signed my relatioli; a tractor having a supporting name to this specification in the presence of 5 frame; a drivinginechanisin for said tractor, two subscribing Witnesses.

cnibodyin driving wheels mounted on said a 1 7 track plate and an eiectric motor mounted MORTON SARI on said supporting frame; and a boot inount- Witnesses: I ed on said frame to extend Within said coni E. T. MURDOOK, 10 duit, and shaped to avoid the cover of said PHILIr D. RoLLiIA'Us.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents t Washington, D. C. I 

